Margaret
by SparklyTeardrop
Summary: This story is about Margaret Merryweather, the unkown older twin of Maria. She has lived in Moonacre all her life and now her sister is about to move in as well.
1. Chapter 1

**So as you can see I'm making another fanfiction. This story has been in my head since I was young and I finally put it into paper. Enjoy!**

**~L**

* * *

><p>The sky was dark and the atmosphere was dreary. It was the perfect day for the funeral of Colonel Merryweather. His younger daughter Maria was wearing an all black attire together with her nanny Miss Heliotrope. She threw a red rose at her father's casket and laid another one at her mother's grave. Her eyes drifted off and her vision focused on a small gazebo. Leaning on one of it's pillar was a boy and at another side was a girl. The boy could have been a few years older than her while the girl seemed like the same age as she is. He was wearing an all black attire while a strip of black cloth covered his nose. The girl, on the other hand, was wearing a black and blue dress and the hood of it mostly covered her forehead, giving Maria only the view of her nose up to her chin.<p>

"Is that her?" Robin ask the girl next to him.

"Yes." She answered shortly.

"She doesn't look anything like you."

"No, she's much more prettier." Robin could only shake his head at her statement.

"We'd better go. You promised your father you'd be home before sundown. What excuse did you give him this time?" He asked as they started to walk back to the carriage.

"I told him the truth. I said that I wanted to see the funeral, and surprisingly he agreed I just had to be accompanied by Digweed."

"Good thing he knows how to keep my presence a secret. I am correct, right Digweed?" He asked as the said person opened the carriage door for them.

"Of course young De Noir." He smiled at the boy. Once sat at the carriage the girl removed her hood while the boy removed his hat and makeshift mask.

"She'll be at Moonacre soon, Robin." She stated quietly and looked outside the carriage.

"You'll be fine Margaret." He said and kissed the back of her head while wrapping his arms around her waist.

* * *

><p>"He lost it all?" Miss Heliotrope asked while the lawyer nodded. "Even the house?"<p>

"No, no papa couldn't have been in London. Where he wrote to me and said he was going home-" Maria tried to continue but ended up sobbing. Her nanny looked at her pitifully while the man thought this was the perfect time to give the girl her inheritance.

"Ah, well your father did leave you this book." He stood up and grabbed the book from the table and gave it to the girl.

"The Chronicles of Moonacre Valley." She read the cover of the book and she looked at the man questionably.

"Yes, from now on you shall live at Moonacre Valley at the house of your uncle Benjamin and your sister." He said which shocked both Miss Heliotrope and Maria.

"My sister? But I am an only child." She said in surprise.

"Didn't you know? You have a twin named Margaret Merryweather, your father gave her to your uncle as a small baby. Nobody knew his reasons, but we didn't question him seeing as he has all the rights concerning her well-being . She has been raised in Moonacre Valley all her life."

* * *

><p>The carriage arrived at the house of the Merryweathers. Robin and Margaret quickly departed from the carriage and hid behind the stone walls of the house.<p>

"Father is going to greet me once Digweed notifies him of my arrival. You must go." Robin nodded and kissed her lips briefly.

"I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow." She said then turned around to go inside. But then she ran back to Robin and hugged him.

"My 'sister' will be here tomorrow. Give her a good scare." She whispered and smiled mischievously.

* * *

><p>Maria rolled her eyes at Miss Heliotrope's weak stomach, but then she screeched as the carriage encountered branches of trees.<p>

"How can I possibly go live in the country. It's full of... the countryside. My newly found sister might have endured this all her life, but I shall not."

She screeched again as the carriage swayed from the bumps of the road.

"Maria there is only one thing that can save us now." The nanny said and the two locked eyes "Classical French needlepoint."

The carriage halted at a gate and the two looked outside to see if they had arrived. All was quiet up until two young men tried to grab the two females. Maria thought quickly of a way to protect herself and stabbed the bandit's hand with her needle which caused him to let go.

They finally arrived at the house during nightfall, despite the scare that they received during their arrival. When they exited the carriage, they were faced with the eerie looking shadow of Sir Benjamin.

"I'm pleased to meet you." Maria said and held out her hand for a handshake which Sir Benjamin didn't take.

Sir Benjamin acknowledged Miss Heliotrope and received a bunch of complaints from her, which he quickly halted. He took the two inside the house and they were faced with a large dog, which Miss Heliotrope gasped at, and a girl. She was sat at one of the chairs, reading a book around the lit fireplace while the black dog sat at the end of her dress. The girl was pale with piercing blue eyes and dark, almost black, brown hair. She was wearing a white and green dress, white being the bottom while the upper part was green. It's sleeves were only up to her elbows and the dress seemed to flow freely around her.

"Maria this is your sister Margaret." The said girl only looked up from her book to look at the two of them, then went back to reading the book. Benjamin coughed a little then said "Right this is Wrolf. He can kill in an instant, but you're a Merryweather he probably very well won't kill you."

The dog continued to bark at the two when Margaret said. "Wrolf behave." Then the dog then ceased his barking.

The two were accompanied by both Benjamin and Margaret to their rooms. "Margaret, I think it is proper if you sleep now. It is already past your bedtime."

"Of course father." She said. "Come along Wrolf." She climbed the steps to her room at the tower with the dog following behind her.

Once the girl was gone Miss Heliotrope asked. "Why does she call you father?"

"Because she's my daughter." The nanny was about to contradict his statement but chose to stay quiet.

"Maria, Miss Heliotrope your room is at the end of the hall." He said then left the two.

Maria descended the stairs in the morning while hugging the book. Her Uncle Benjamin was waiting for her in the same room they saw Margaret when they arrived. She was wondering how Margaret could have been at her father's funeral but she decided to question the girl later. Right now she needed to focus on how she could save herself from the countryside.

* * *

><p>"Young lady, we're taking breakfast here." He said then pointed at a direction.<p>

"Where did you get this from?" He asked once he noticed the book in her arms.

"Papa left it to me." Maria said with a smiled. "Well he had no right to." He muttered then reached for the book. "This belongs here."

"But that's mine." Maria tried to argue.

Margaret ate her breakfast quietly as she sat next to the chair her father was supposed to sit at. She rolled her eyes at Maria's noisy eating nanny.

'Speaking of.' She thought and saw Maria coming inside the room while complaining. She let the two argue by themselves and when Maria sat down, she stared at her sister's calm demeanor.

Her father entered the dining room and sat down.

"Maria you must really try this dish." Miss Heliotrope said.

"Yes, a dish best enjoyed in silence." He said which made the nanny hold her tongue.

"Uncle you must return my father's book to me." Maria said which was answered by silence

"Well you certainly have a very, very good cook. Have you had her long?" Miss Heliotrope tried to make a conversation.

"Madam, no woman aside from Margaret has set foot in this house for years." He said

'No one aside from Loveday.' Margaret thought sadly.

"Well I must say this country food is doing wonders for my stomach."

"Can't a man enjoy a meal in his own home in silence." He said angrily while his daughter continued to eat because she was used to his temper tantrums.

"Well do tell us uncle why did you invite noisy females to your nice quiet house. I'd love to know." Maria said quietly.

"My useless brother dies in debt and forces me to take you in. My cowardly brother-"

"Sir Benjamin!" Miss Heliotrope exclaimed.

"How dare you say that! My father was colonel." Maria shouted angrily.

"Yes and died in debt owing half his money to the regiment. He left his own daughter as a child here and now her sister is here as well."

"If you'll excuse me." Margaret said quietly then stood up from the table. She was fed up with their noise and that they were speaking of her as if she wasn't there. Adding to her rage was the fact that her real father was mentioned, since that topic was still a sensitive subject for her.

"Where are you going Margaret?"

"To the village I'll take a ride out with Nightingale. Don't worry father Wrolf will be with me." She reassured him.

* * *

><p>Margaret went to the stables after changing. She was now wearing a long sleeved red and dark yellow gown. The middle was red while the rest was a pattern of red and the dark yellow. Her hair was now downs loose with slight waves and it was held by an intricate white studded clip. She was dressed in the usual De Noir colors to blend in with them in case Robin's father suddenly arrived but for now Coeur De Noir was still at a village a few towns over.<p>

He was retrieving supplies for their family, whilst Robin's availability during her real father's funeral. So far Coeur De Noir knows that she was just another girl from the village with no connections to the Merryweathers.

She mounted on her horse Nightingale, which was a pure black horse with a white mane and tail. He also had white hair on his foot and there was also one white streak on his nose up to his forehead. They rode up until to where Margaret usually entered the forest to meet with Robin.

"Stay here Nightingale. You already know what to do right?" She asked her faithful friend since this was the usual routine for Margaret Merryweather. She entered the forest with Wrolf trailing a few feet away from her. The dog knows that he shouldn't show himself to anyone and only appear at Margaret's side if she was in trouble. Robin was already sitting at the base of a tree in their usual meeting place when she arrived.

"You're late." He stated. Margaret sat down in between his legs while his arms found their way to her waist.

"The two guests were so noisy during breakfast, that it took longer than expected." The two were enjoying each other's company and Margaret was about to fall asleep when she saw Robin's jagged hand.

"What happened to your hand?" She asked and before he could hide it, she quickly grabbed the wounded body part.

"Robin!" She shouted angrily at him. "What. Happened. To. Your. Hand." She repeated slowly.

He sighed and looked at her sadly. "Remember how you told me to give Maria a scare?"

She nodded slowly. "Well this is the result."

"What did she stab you with?"

"... A needle." He said after sometime. She scoffed a little because she tried to refrain herself from laughing. The Robin De Noir was stabbed by a little girl while using a needle.

"You were stabbed by Maria and she used a needle?" She asked again and he nodded. She finally laughed and Robin gave her a look.

"Alright, alright. Let's go get that treated." She said then whistled. Wrolf appeared around a corner and ran towards Margaret. The dog was trained by herself not to hurt Robin or his friends unless they were hurting someone, which was highly unlikely.

"Get two whole chicken from the pantry at the house." She ordered and the dog started running.

"We're visiting Loveday?"

They went down the familiar steps of Loveday's makeshift home. They entered her room and saw the usual lot of animals that she rescued from the forest.

"Loveday!" Margaret called out and disappeared from Robin's view. His relationship with his sister was quite complicated since she was exiled by their father. Their bond was strained because they didn't see each other often but when Margaret brought him to Loveday, they acted like nothing happened and became close siblings again.

"We brought lunch for today." Margaret stated as she entered the room again while holding Loveday's hand.

"Well let me just cook these." She said as she lifted up the two whole chicken.

"Oh and Loveday, I need medicine for a wound of Robin."

"Sweet little Margaret, you always look out for my little brother." Loveday stated once she returned with a few salves of medicine from plants in the forest. Once Loveday was able to cook the chicken, she served the first whole to Robin and Margaret. While the other one was equally divided and given to the animals.

"Let's eat shall we?"

* * *

><p>And that is the first chapter of Margaret. The next chapter would be the flashbacks.<p>

If you want to see her dresses here are the links:

s1295 .photobucket user/ Lillianthi4349 / media / Margaret /10733623 _ 855950151116046 _ 1393320856 _ n_ zps75b90de9 .jpg .html

s1295 .photobucket user/ Lillianthi4349 / media / Margaret / 974405 _ 855950237782704 _ 3075197 zps21cf3fa9 _ n_ zps75b90de9 .jpg .html

Just remove the spaces and these dresses are already in order of the time that she wore it.


	2. Chapter 2

_On a rainy night in Moonacre Valley, a knock echoed through the Merryweather house. Benjamin opened the door and found no one there. He looked around and saw nothing, up until he looked down and saw a crib containing a young girl. Inside it was a note._

**_My dear brother,_**

**_My wife has given birth to twins, unfortunately she has not survived the process. In front of you is Margaret Merryweather. I will be honest with you, I am in deep debt and I cannot support two children when I can barely provide for myself. Please treat her with kindness and love as if she were your own daughter._**

**_Sincerely,_**

**_Your brother_**

* * *

><p><em>"Uncle why do I call you uncle?" A small three year old girl asked as she sat next to Benjamin at the piano. Loveday just departed from the manor when she asked the question.<em>

_"Because I am your uncle." He answered her._

_"But why can't I call you father? Marmaduke said that a father raises and loves their children. You do that to me right? So why can't I call you father?" She asked with innocent eyes._

_"But I am not your real father."_

_"But I want you to be." Thus, Benjamin Merryweather became the new father of the young child._

* * *

><p><em>A few years later, a six year old girl wandered through the forest. She drifted to a tree with large roots around it.<em>

_"Margaret. Margaret." It called. She found herself drawn towards it and she started to walk to the tree._

_"Hey." She whipped her head and found a much older boy behind her. "What are doing here?"_

_"You're a De Noir." She stated after looking at his outfit._

_"And you're a Merryweather. Are you lost? Your family doesn't usually wander off to the forest."_

_"I was curious."_

_"Shall I escort you home?"_

_"A De Noir being a gentleman? Father said that your family are vicious men without class." The boy laughed and went to guide her back to the Merryweather estate._

_"Father? I didn't know that Benjamin Merryweather had a daughter."_

_"He's my uncle but I call him father since he was the one that raised me."_

_"Where's your real father?"_

_"Not really a great question to ask me."_

_"I'm Robin, if you were wondering." He said after a long silence._

_"Oh, I'm Margaret." She introduced herself, forgetting that she hasn't even said her name. The two were silent for most of the walk and then they were finally at the big house._

_"Can I see you again?" He asked her._

_"Maybe."_

* * *

><p><em>They didn't see each other again for at least two months when Margaret was riding her horse near the edge of the forest.<em>

_"So Sir De Noir what brings you to the edge of the forest?"_

_"I was actually hoping to see you." He said and she tilted her head in confusion._

_"I was curious about you."_

_"The same way that I was curious about the forest?" She asked._

_"A little bit like that."_

* * *

><p><em>The two continued to meet at that spot for at least twice a week and then at a certain month Robin asked her. "Where's your real father Margaret?"<em>

_"He left me with my uncle Benjamin. He says that I have a sister somewhere but my father chose to keep her instead of me." She says sadly._

_"What?"_

_"I don't care about him anymore, but sometimes I wonder why he kept her and not me."_

_"Well it's his loss."_

_"Robin! You're father's here." Edwin who was one of Robin's friends ran towards them. Margaret managed to be friends with all of the people in his circle of friends. And they found the girl endearing and kept Robin's secret friendship with her._

_They both ran to hide, but the gallops of horses kept getting louder and soon Coeur De Noir was next to them. Robin's friends tried to hide girl behind them when he appeared._

_"Robin. What are you doing here?"_

_"Uh.. Father."_

_"And who's that behind your friends?" He asked. And they were force to part and reveal Margaret._

_"G-Good afternoon Sir De Noir." She said._

_"And who might you be?"_

_"I'm a friend of Robin's"_

_"And where do you live?"_

_"At the village Monsieur." She lied thoroughly and she thought that it was lucky that she wore a simple brown dress and not the usual blue ones._

_That was the moment Robin fell head over heels for the girl. He realized that she was willing to protect him even if it meant lying and the idea of making her a De Noir was so appealing to him._

* * *

><p><em>A noise woke Robin up at one night and when opened the window below it was Margaret Merryweather. She was throwing rocks at his window and her face was illuminated by the light of the full moon.<em>

_"What are you doing?" He half-whispered half-shouted at her._

_"Come out. We need to go somewhere." It was the first time that Margaret actually snuck to the De Noir castle during an indecent hour_

_"Where are we going. And what time is it?" He asked her once they were together._

_"Almost midnight. It's a surprise."_

_And that was when Robin met Loveday De Noir again. Margaret actually stumbled upon the older De Noir lady when she woke up early one morning and saw Loveday in her room laying down sweets and milk. She already knew the woman because her father was her ex-fiancé. Loveday guided her through her secret entrance that lead to her makeshift home, which was a burrow. That was the first time she saw the mirror that revealed the valley's fate which she already learned from her father. She decided to keep what she saw to herself._

* * *

><p><em>The first time that they kissed was at the forest the same spot where they first met. It wasn't planned or expected and it was actually clumsy but full of love.<em>

_"Robin." She said breathlessly. "Why?"_

_"I love you. A lot." He said. "I just hope you return my feelings."_

_"I love you too."_

* * *

><p><em>Margaret was pacing back and forth in the forest angrily. Robin was on the edge, she dragged him from the De Noir castle to the forest which she usually doesn't do. She was unexpectedly angry and he wondered what was so important, that she had to drag him all the way here.<em>

_"Tell me what's wrong?" Robin said worriedly._

_"Maria's coming here!"_

_"Who?"_

_"My sister!"_

_"What?" Robin asked in surprise._

_"My real father died and now he's leaving her here like me." She stated as she stopped pacing and face her back to Robin_

_"Then what's wrong? Don't you want to get to know her?" He asked and was faced with a crying girl when Margaret turned aroun._

_"I'm scared." She sniffed. "I'm scared that she'll take everything from me. Father, Loveday, for goodness sake she's already captured my real father's heart before she could even walk."_

_"He has a good reason why he left you here and if he didn't do that, you wouldn't have met me." Robin tried to reassure her._

_"I'm scared she might take you away from me." She said quietly after a few moments of silence._

_"She could never get me away from you."_

_"Tell me you love me."_

_"I love you."_


	3. Chapter 3

Maria woke up the next morning and dressed herself in her usual city dress attire. When she went downstairs she heard the piano being played. When she peeked at the open doors, her sister was playing the melody. Margaret was wearing a simple dark blue dress that could've been passed as an attire that was bought from the city. Her hair was in simple curls while a black bow rested behind her dress and a black choker with a bow and gem was on her neck.

She sat next to the brown-haired girl and she found out that the piano was playing keys by itself. It surprised her, but the melody was so enchanting that she wanted to play it too. She had a few piano lessons herself so she didn't find it difficult to keep up. Margaret smiled at her sister's antics and started played a much more elaborate part of the song than before.

"Digweed fetch me my whip." The voice of Benjamin surprised the two.

* * *

><p>Margaret rolled her eyes at Maria's actions in trying to avoid Periwinkle, her horse. She was already mounted on Nightingale as her father would take them to the village. When Maria finally got the hang of her horse, they were now riding at the village roads. She thought that it was quite sad since she hasn't talked to her sister ever since she arrived. Though she does feel hostile toward the red haired girl.<p>

"We should be heading back it's getting late." Her father announced.

"Uncle I'm really enjoying this. Can I stay out a little longer." Maria stated. Margaret, who didn't want to hear anything anymore, gave Nightingale a nice whip and her horse started to run.

Maria who was surprised at the sudden movement gasped while her Uncle Benjamin laughed quietly at his daughter's usual antics.

"As long as you promise to stay within Moonacre Valley." He said after calming himself.

"How about Margaret?"

"She knows the Valley better than I do. She grew up here Maria and I raised her like my own flesh and blood. You shouldn't worry about her." He said quietly then went to leave.

Maria drifted to the edge of the forest and she wondered what was so special about it. She was about to turn back because she remembered her Uncle's warning when she saw Margaret dismount her black horse and went inside the forest. The horse then came to move on its own and back down the familiar trail back to the Merryweather house. Maria being curious, followed her sister into the forest.

"Robin she is getting on my nerves!" Margaret shouted and started to pace.

"She came to the house all high and mighty. She refuses to wear Loveday's outfits and wears those unpractical city dresses. She plays the piano better than me and now even father is starting to open up to her. He practically let her ride a horse in less than a week while I waited for years."

"Margaret calm down." Robin said and grabbed her by her arms. "First of all she's from the city. That is all she wears. Second, she probably had a teacher to help her play the piano while you learned from your own self teaching. Also, you had to wait for years to ride a horse because you were only five. You could've broken your neck if your rode a horse at that age."

Margaret whimpered then said. "I just feel like she's replacing me."

Robin hugged the crying girl and tried to reassure her worries. His vision drifted off at the forest. The trees that surrounded them and the light that the sun was giving. That was when he saw a shade of blue.

"Maria." He whispered.

"What?" Margaret asked quietly.

"Your sister's watching us." Margaret was about to do something but Robin brought his hand to his mouth and whistled. Robin's group of friends appeared out of nowhere and went towards Maria.

"Come on, we need to get you back to your house before Maria. Don't worry they'll take care of them." Robin said as they started running.

"Were they there the whole time?" Margaret asked.

"Not the right time."

"Robin!"

"Fine they were." Margaret was about to respond but she knew that they couldn't stop running. She opted to groan and hit Robin's head. They raced down to Loveday's home and entered the cave. The said woman wasn't there today and they thought that she probably was out in the forest. They both entered the secret passage where Loveday would use it to enter Margaret's room. Once inside her room, Robin quickly hid underneath her bed while the brown haired girl acted as if she was sleeping.

* * *

><p>Maria entered the house in a run and was faced by her Uncle Benjamin enjoying a drink at the fireplace.<p>

"Uncle! Uncle!" She shouted loudly. Miss Heliotope quickly came to the room after hearing her shouts.

"Maria! Maria. Look at you. What happened to your dress?" She asked while trying to tidy the skirt of the gown.

"That doesn't matter! Margaret was in the forest with a De Noir." She exclaimed which caused her Uncle to slightly choke on his drink.

"Maria! I'll have you know that Margaret has never once disobeyed me and I do not expect her to start now." He stated as he stood up and set the glass he was holding down on a table.

"Then where is she now Uncle?"

"Her horse is back at the stables so I believe she would be at her room reading." He answered confidently.

"Then we shall see." She said then started to climb the stairs with Miss Heliotrope and her Uncle Benjamin. They paused at the small door of Margaret's room when her Uncle knocked and opened the door. They saw Margaret slowly waking up.

"Is there something wrong father?" She asked while trying to rub her eyes. "It seems I fell asleep while reading a book."

"No please, we're sorry to intrude. We'll go now." Her father said then went to leave.

"Maria can stay I have something to ask her." She stated and the colors from Maria's face started to disappear.

"Well it's nice to see you girls talking to one another." Miss Heliotrope said then went to follow Sir Benjamin. Once the door shut behind them. Margaret blocked the door while Robin cornered Maria.

"You little tattletale." Robin said.

"Look Maria, I have been acting civil with your for the sake of my father." Margaret started. "Could you just please keep your mouth shut for once?"

"But what were you doing at the forest with him?"

"I happen to love him and he returns my feelings. You wouldn't get in the way of that right?" She asked.

"No."

"Good. Then we won't have any problem."

"Now please leave my room."

Once Maria left Robon removed his hat, boots and jacket. Margaret went to change into a right outfit for the night, which was still right proper for Robin to see her in. Once they laid down at the comforts of her bed, he quickly fell asleep and as Margaret looked at the stars another one disappeared. She shook her head and rolled to her side to face his sleeping form and welcomed the darkness of rest.


	4. Chapter 4

"I mean I've never even seen a kitchen, so where on earth does all this food come from." Maria asked as she entered the dining room while following Sir Benjamin.

"Do you ever stop asking questions?" He asked irritated while having obvious tears in his eyes. Maria got silent, surprised at how her uncle looked like. He went to leave the room and go to his study. Margaret who was eating breakfast with Miss Heliotrope followed her father. She was faced with a big locked door.

Wrolf suddenly came beside her.

"She wants to see the kitchens doesn't she?" She muttered to herself then bent down to the dog's level. "Show her the kitchens Wrolf."

"Father." She knocked on the door three times. "Please let me in. Don't lock me out again."

She waited a few seconds and the door finally opened. When she went inside her father quickly hugged her.

"You do know that she didn't mean to bother you. She was simply curious."

"Yes, but sometimes she shouldn't snoop at places where she shouldn't be."

"Don't worry it's not the first time I saw you cry." She said as she was released from the hug.

"But I do hope it's the last."

"Father, I'm going to the village tomorrow. So I'm going to head out early tomorrow and not be present during breakfast." She said. Tomorrow was the set date for when Margaret would visit Robin at the De Noir house.

"Try to be home before sundown, alright?" He asked.

* * *

><p>Margaret straightened the edge of her loose black and red dress. She was awaiting for Robin in Loveday's home and she happily helped the younger girl get ready. Since Loveday knew how most De Noir dress she had no trouble disguising the Maerryweather.<p>

Margaret arranged her black, pointy headband that almost seemed like a tiara. At the mirror she saw Robin approach. It was the same mirror where she first saw the Valley's prophecy.

"My father returned home. He wants to see you." Robin stated.

"Is he mad." She paused. "At you?"

"I don't think so."

* * *

><p>Maria managed to sneak into the De Noir castle without anyone noticing her. She slowly opened a door where she heard noise from. Inside she saw Coeur De Noir eating together with other people she didn't recognize. Beside him was Robin and what surprised her the most was that her sister was there next to them, actually laughing.<p>

That was when Coeur took notice of her and two lackeys grabbed both her arms. She was bought to face the head De Noir while Robin and Margaret stood beside her.

"What are you doing here?" The brown haired girl asked in whisper.

"I should ask you the same thing."

"We need to leave Robin. She's smart enough to escape but she can't manage to leave the forest without help." She said to Robin and the two excused themselves to leave.

* * *

><p>It was about the afternoon now and they were waiting for any noise in the forest. That was when they heard a piercing scream and the footsteps of people.<p>

"Wrolf!" Margaret called out. "Guide her home."

"You should get back too." Robin said to her. Once home they were all in a commotion because of Maria's return. She said her greetings to her uncle and said that she would retire to sleep. At night, Margaret stared at the stars and she saw that another one disappeared. Leaving only two.

"Soon there will be no stars if Maria doesn't fulfill the prophecy." She said.

* * *

><p>The next morning she woke up to Loveday's voice. "Wake up Margaret."<p>

"Tonight is the full moon. I need to talk to Maria." Loveday said. She was quite hurt that Robin's sister didn't come to visit her but instead talk to Maria.

"Of course, her room is down by the flight of staircases at the end of the hall. But be careful her nanny is with her but she usually sleeps like a bear."

"Wait your dress." She said then handed the clothing to the girl. It was a blue and white loose dress yet it was quite tight at the stomach area.

"This belonged to the first ever Merryweather moon princess."

"Thank you Loveday!"

She went downstairs to play the piano again. Maria arrived in a red dress with Loveday in tow. The two soon joined her piano playing but then her sister stood up and stared at a painting of roses. Margaret already knew the story of Loveday and her father, so she chose this time to leave and find Robin as this would be the last time to talk to him before the set date of the curse.

"She hasn't figured it out yet then?" Robin asked her. As Margaret's head laid in Robin's lap.

"No."

"Why didn't you try to find the pearls."

"You and I both know that I am not the moon princess." She said as she sat up.

"But you could be." Robin said. "We could just run away. You know?"

"I already told you I can't leave my father. Besides-" That was when they heard a noise.

"Stay here." He said then went to the source. After a few minutes, Margaret heard Robin's scream.

"Robin! Robin!" She shouted as she ran. The sight that she saw shocked her. Robin was tied upside down and Maria stood next to the rope that held him.

"Maria! Maria! Have you lost your mind let him down!" She shouted angrily. Her sister complied and Robin landed to the ground with a thud.

"Are you alright?" She asked him as she bent down next to him. "Maria what were you thinking?"

"I just need you to listen."

"Not here." She said as she took notice of Coeur's loyal bird.

* * *

><p>Robin tied one of Margaret's ribbon to a branch that could've easily been mistaken as one of Maria's belongings.<p>

"What was that?" The red haired girl asked as soon as Robin caught up with them

"False trail." He said.

"They were in a tree." Maria started as she told them where the pearls were. "But it's very distinctive, it has massive roots twisting around a big dark hollow."

"I know where that is." Both of them said at the same time. Making them look at each other while smiling because of the memory of their first meeting.

"Suppose for a moment we do actually help you and we mange to fine the pearls. What then?" He asked.

"Well we..." Maria started, trying to find the right words. "Return the pearls to the sea then-"

"You know my father's coming after you and because of what you're doing he could possibly find out that Margaret is your sister." Robin warned her.

"It's just the matter of finding them before he finds me."

* * *

><p>Wrolf ran ahead of them while Margaret tried to follow him. "Wrolf, slow down."<p>

"Wrolf!" She shouted as the large, black dog fell down a hole. Then a hand grabbed her and a knife was placed closely against her neck.

She was dragged together with Robin and the two were held by two midgets. That was when a gunfire was heard and a knife was held by one of Coeur's lackeys which was closely dragged to her neck. Robin struggled against the two holding him but then fought of his father's lackey and got him away from Margaret. Wrolf chose the perfect time to leap out of the hole and scared of the three.

"We have to find Maria!" Margaret screamed. Another gunshot was heard and it was followed by Wrolf's whimpers.

"Wrolf!" She screamed and tried to go back to him but Robin held her back.

"We have to go Margaret." She tried to fight him off to go back to her loyal companion ever since as a child but his hold was a lot more stronger. They ran again towards Maria and the three bumped to each other.

"You!" Coeur said as she saw Margaret.

"You're helping this wench? How am I not surprised by my son's poor choices." Robin went to have a talk with his father, which Margaret couldn't hear and then they took off into a run again.

They arrived at the hollow again and went inside quickly. They opened an old wooden door and saw an abandoned makeshift bedroom. The three of them went to look around and Margaret saw a fireplace with a head of a horse sticking out. Remembering her room's secret passage she pulled it down and opened another entrance. She met Robin's eyes and smiled. He went inside first while she went to call out to her sister.

"Maria come on." She said then saw the girl staring at a statue of a female head. She went next to her and saw a silhouette of the pearls. They looked at each other and both went to reach for it. Once their hands touched the necklace, it shone and shifted back to the pearls. They both smiled and showed the necklace to Robin.

"The pearls." He exclaimed and all felt a sense of relief but it was short lived when they heard the smashing on the door.

The three went to the secret passageway and were faced with a completely dark room.

"Moon pearls we need your powers now. Show us the way." Maria said as the two sisters held unto the necklace and it shone brightly at their hands. They walked for a few minutes and that was when they saw the white horse.

"Margaret." Robin called out in complaint.

"Don't you see she's showing us the way." She told him.

They arrived at a crumbling ruin, it was the same place that the Moon Princess placed the curse. Margaret seeing Coeur strangling her father yelled out. "Stop! Coeur please stop!"

"Father we got them." Robin shouted.

"Look." Maria said and showed them the pearls.

"Those damn pearls, they bought us nothing but heartache and grief." Her father said.

"No uncle it is not the pearls but the greed in our hearts which brings us this misery." Her sister stated.

"Father." Loveday shouted from another corner of the building. "Why is there so much hatred in your heart?"

"Don't you want to be free of this darkness imprisoning you?" She asked him.

"It is he! It is he!" Coeur accused Benjamin. Loveday got in between the two and made them join hands. She placed the pearls on top of the linked connection.

"The 5000th moon." Margaret muttered when her vision drifted off to the sea. Could her sister really do something about a prophecy foretold so many years ago. She lost her train of thought, when she saw Maria slowly walking to the cliff. She walked next to her and said. "I'm proud to have called you my sister."

She started to leave but Maria stopped her. "Stay please."

"At the 5000th moon, I ,Maria Merryweather, Moon Princess of Moonacre do remove the curse from this valley. Take back what is yours." She said then threw the pearls to the sea but they returned to her hands. She chose to break the pearls apart and threw it again. But the pearls chose to return, but at that moment they chose to stick to Margaret's dress.

She tried to get it off her but they stuck to her clothes. She didn't know what to do since she was never meant to be the Moon Princess. She looked at the bottom of the sea and then at Maria's eyes and her sister understood what she meant. She stared at the others especially her father, Loveday and then at Robin.

"I'm sorry." She mouthed to him and stepped off the cliff.

Once at the bottom off the sea, she tried to get the pearls of quickly and swam back to the surface but her dress was weighing her down. Soon she was feeling light-headed and she welcomed the darkness.

"Margaret!" Her father shouted and ran to the edge of the cliff together with everyone else. They were crying especially Benjamin, Loveday and Robin. They were the closest people to the girl and couldn't believe what she did.

Robin then quickly tried to remove any excess weight that he nay have. He started to jump off the cliff to save Margaret when Loveday stopped him by grabbing both his and restraining his waist.

"She wouldn't have wanted you to do this Robin!" She stated and the boy continued to flail his arms while crying.

That was when a wave of horses appeared and in the middle was a white unicorn with Margaret on it's back. The water rose and when they looked again, Margaret was there unconscious on top of the horse. Robin quickly got free of Loveday's hold and ran to her, he carried the girl from the horse and set her down.

"Margaret wake up." He said and the girls eyes started to open after a few more shakes.

"Robin." She breathed out. "You're alright." He said then placed his forehead against hers.

"Margaret what is this?" Her father asked her. As he only found out that Margaret knew a De Noir.

"He's the friend I visit at the village. I've been lying to you father and to you too Coeur." She said sadly.

"I love her." Robin stated.

"You'd call me biased if I were to be with Loveday and disapprove of your relationship." Her father started. "But if you ever break my daughter's heart, you'll face my wrath."

A fierce roar was heard and everyone went silent a black lion appeared at one of the entrances.

"Wrolf!" Margaret exclaimed happily as she ran towards the lion and embraced it tightly. The lion then went to the white horse once she let go of her

Her father was apologizing to Loveday when a voice said. "I'll finish her now." And pointed a gun at said person when Miss Heliotrope appeared out of nowhere and kept hitting him with an umbrella.

Margaret looked around at the happy couples including her father and Loveday and surprisingly Digweed and Miss Heliotrope.

"You made me worry." Robin said as he brought her in his embrace.

"I'll never leave you, I can assure you of that." She said as she leaned forward and kissed Robin's lips.

"Margaret!" Her father scolded her.

"Sorry father."

* * *

><p>"And that is how the Moon Princess brought back peace to the valley." An older Margaret said to her two three-year old twin daughters named, Alice and Annie.<p>

"Alright off to bed you two." She said as her six-year old son named, Fred. Robin followed the boy into the old room that Margaret used to reside in.

"You just missed Mother's bed time story, Fred." Alice said.

Her son pouted but said. "Can you tell it again, Mother"

"Alright but this is the last time." Robin said as he tucked his son onto another bed.

"Once upon a perfect time. Many hundreds of years ago when old magic clung to Moonacre Valley..."


End file.
